Icelandic investor Kaldbakur ehf has acquired fish processing systems provider Optimar International AS, following negotiations with the company’s previous shareholders, the German investment holding Franz Haniel & Cie GmbH as well as the management and employees of Optimar.
As part of Kaldbakur’s portfolio, Optimar will continue to serve its customers worldwide as an independent company.
Headquartered in Ålesund on Norway’s west coast, Optimar has operations in Norway, Spain, Romania and the US, and serves customers in more than 30 countries.
Kaldbakur is the investment vehicle for the owners of Icelandic seafood company Samherji, a family-owned vertically integrated company founded in 1983 that operates a fleet of fishing vessels, fish processing factories, and land-based fish farming facilities.
Through the acquisition of Optimar, Kaldbakur said it is seeking to strengthen its strategic network in the region.
“Optimar is a trusted, long-standing partner to the global fish industry with strong customer relationships. We are excited about the opportunities our partnership will bring both to Optimar and our broader portfolio,” said Eiríkur S Jóhannsson, CEO of Kaldbakur.
Haniel acquired Optimar in 2017 and has since supported the development of the company in a collaborative partnership.
“Kaldbakur is the perfect strategic partner for Optimar at this point and has committed to offering its deep knowledge and proven expertise to help further shape the company’s future. We sincerely wish both the teams at Optimar and Kaldbakur much success in their new partnership,” said Thessa von Hülsen, Investment Partner at Haniel.
Optimar CEO Georg Saint-Denis said the company is very happy about this agreement and feels that this is a right and good owner going forward.
“This is a bit like coming home for Optimar. The companies know each other well, through a long and good collaboration and see this as a strategic crossroads for Optimar,” he said.
